A Meeting of Minds & Memories
11/11/2019
Founding Fathers of International Treaty Return for a Celebration
Rome, Italy, 09 November 2019 – The Red Room of the FAO was packed with about 300 delegates from around the world, gathered for the Special Event marking the 15th Anniversary of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and to hear the personal recollections of some of those involved in establishing the International Treaty (@PlantTreaty).
“FAO is proud to acknowledge the International Treaty as one of our top 10 achievements,” said FAO Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources, Ms Maria Helena Semedo, in her opening remarks. “This is an important milestone in the evolution of the International Treaty, a sort of bridging time between ‘adolescence’ and ‘adulthood,’" she said. “The FAO stands alongside the International Treaty as it continues to evolve for the common good of all.”
“The Treaty is a shining example of the things we can do when we work together for a common goal,” said Christine Dawson, Chair of the Eighth Session of the Governing Body (GB-8) of the International Treaty. She expressed appreciation for this opportunity “to look back, to reflect on where we have come from, what it took to get here, and the horizons looking forward.”
“The Treaty is the main international body whose primary purpose is to save, as to conserve; share the world’s plant genetic resources as well as the benefits arising from their use,” said Kent Nnadozie, Secretary of the International Treaty. “It also ensures that these plants continue to exist, providing food and nutrition for all, now and in the future”, he added.
Mr Nnadozie drew attention to the theme and the representative poster for GB-8 – a woman with seeds in her hands that spiral into a double-helix of DNA and sequence information, representing all the components of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, paying particular tribute to “the women farmers who have, over time, been custodians and guardians of seeds.”
Mr Nnadozie also spoke about the special exhibit created for GB-8 in the FAO atrium, which is the result of a collaborative effort between the Treaty Secretariat and the Government of Norway, the Government of Japan, Oxfam Novib, and the private sector. “In essence, the exhibit represents the global conservation circle of grassroots conservation system, national and international systems, the role of the private sector, the role of farmers and civil society. Each one plays a uniquely important role, and all these elements come together through the International Treaty, which acts as the cord that connects the various aspects together,” he said. “You can see and visualize the elements of the work that you’re doing; that it is not just in this meeting room and discussing and negotiating, but that it has critical, practical implications at the field level, with regard to human life and existence,” said Mr Nnadozie.
Ms Irene Hoffmann, Secretary of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture spoke of the International Treaty as a “brainchild” of the Commission and gave a light-hearted and humorous history lesson with cartoons depicting the development of a child – from the womb to birth, infancy and on to adolescence. “As she gains maturity, towards a fully-fledged adult, the Treaty’s role is still extremely relevant,” said Ms Hoffmann. “And as we look into the future, we have to make sure no one is left behind.”
The personal mood of the Event grew with recollections by honored speakers, Mr José Esquinas-Alcázar (Pepe Esquinas), Mr Clive Stannard, Mr Rene Salazar, and some more cartoons courtesy of Mr Pat Mooney, who was unable to be present, but send some historic cartoon depictions of the days of Treaty negotiations.
“This is a celebration of 1 000s of people who participated in the long negotiations that made the Treaty possible, and the millions who have benefitted from its existence,” said Mr Esquinas, well-known for his passionate dedication to driving the processes that led to the realization of the International Treaty. Mr Esquinas shared recollections of the tough negotiations that went on for years before arriving at a consensus that established the International Treaty. Recalling personal memories, he spoke of the importance of going beyond official negotiations in meeting rooms to personal conversations in relaxed settings, where everyone is more likely to talk freely about what is truly important and thus find common ground. He said the world’s natural resources are an “intergenerational” gift that must be passed on from generation to generation, particularly in a time of climate change.
“The last period before the adoption was particularly hectic, with frequent extraordinary sessions of the Commission, small negotiating groups, and many informal gatherings,” said Mr Stannard, as he shared his personal recollections of the negotiations that eventually led to the realization of the International Treaty. “I particularly remember a meeting in Teheran where he (Ambassador Fernando Gerbasi) sequestered the key negotiators in a small room, plied them with tea, and refused them the right to leave the room, no matter how urgent their distress, or how much they hopped around, until he got what was needed.” Mr Stannard was not only involved in the negotiations leading to the formation of the International Treaty, but also set up the first Secretariat of the International Treaty, and helped nurture it after it entered into force. Looking ahead, he said, “We move to a world where we are increasingly dependent on scientific plant breeding, which has achieved such successes in recent generations. We have also seen the balance between the public sector and the private sector shift throughout the world, and the Treaty is at that sensitive interface between these sectors, and must make harmony, and support agricultural innovation in both.”
Mr Rene Salazar, a seasoned community organizer, best known for his work in support of farmers’ seed systems, for helping pioneer Farmer Field Schools in participatory plant breeding and working for Farmers’ Rights, recalled the challenges of differing interests during the days of negotiating the text of the International Treaty. “The effort of each delegation to really find solutions was really key,” he recalled. “All delegations tried to be more innovative, more open to finding real solutions for the world.”
“We might have limitations in our context, in our mandate, but we are all human beings, negotiating and trying to find solutions here; therefore, this is an opportunity for the Treaty and the Governing Body meeting next week to move it forward”, he added.
The 15th Anniversary Special Event took place on the eve of the Eighth Session of the Governing Body (GB-8) of the International Treaty, which commences on Monday, 11 November 2019 and will run through Saturday, 16 November 2019, preceded by a weekend of regional and inter-regional consultations. The theme of the GB-8 is the 15th Anniversary of the International: “Fifteen Years of Saving, Sharing and Taking Care of the Seeds that Feed the World.” Details on the Eighth Governing Body Session can be found on the International Treaty website at: http://www.fao.org/plant-treaty/eighth-governing-body/en/
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